How to learn how to quickly count in mathematics worries not only many children, but also their parents. Even with preschoolers, special classes are often held to develop the skill of operating with numbers in the mind. This skill will certainly come in handy in middle school, high school, and even adulthood. So how can a child learn to count quickly and is it possible to achieve any results at all? Of course, if you regularly engage with the baby, teaching him the methods of mental counting, then over time the speed of performing mathematical operations will increase dramatically. From this we can conclude that you should be patient.
Information for middle and high school students
If you study at school, and mental counting in math classes takes up a lot of your precious time, then it's time to learn how to count quickly. Examples that you previously solved with great difficulty will take half as much effort from you. To develop the ability to quickly count in your mind, use these tips:
- Develop your short term memory. This will allow you to keep several large numbers in your field at the same time.
- Collect literature that describes various mental counting algorithms and study them all.
- Regular training will help you quickly develop the ability to count in your mind and consolidate the results.
As you may have guessed, you need to often do mathematical operations in your mind. Any person with regular training will learn to quickly count. Choose the numbers for the development of this skill in such a way that they suit your level of training. Start with easy tasks and work your way up.
Information for parents of preschoolers and younger students
If we are talking about young children who have not yet crossed the threshold of high school, then they cannot do without the help of their parents in learning fast mental counting. One of the first questions parents ask is the age at which a child should be taught to manipulate numbers.
If you start studying with the baby in time, he will never wonder how to quickly learn to count orally, because mathematical actions will be easy for him.
Children get their first experience with numbers around the age of one year, when they play with matryoshka dolls. Of course, he does not learn to count, but his interest in mathematics awakens, as he seeks to find out the number of game pieces.
At about 4 years oldit is necessary to explain to the child that there is a certain number series. Also, do not forget to say that each digit in it is greater than the previous one.
At 5 years old, the baby must distinguish between numbers visually. Here, cards with their image, which the child must remember, will become indispensable helpers.
At 6 years old, a child must learn to operate with simple mathematical operations. To do this, add and subtract the numbers along with it. But remember that the number series should always be in front of the child's eyes.
You can develop the ability to count even on a walk, asking the child about how many birds he sees on a tree, how many petals a flower has, etc.
The main mistakes of parents
A child will never understand how to learn to count quickly if parents make such mistakes when teaching a baby:
- Teaching a child to count on fingers or with counting sticks. So the baby will be able to add numbers only if he has auxiliary objects in front of his eyes. Of course, memory and logic will not evolve.
- To conduct activities with the child, similar to school lessons. Young children effectively learn material only if it is presented in a playful way. Simply put, the first thing you need to do is to arouse interest in the child. Only in this case, classes will be productive.
Mathematical operations come in varying degrees of complexity, this is the problem for parents.
How to learn to count quickly: add and subtract
You can teach your child to count using simple game techniques. For example, purchase from a store or make your own toy house and a few little people. Place one figurine in the house and ask the child how many toys are in it now. When the baby answers, put another person in the house and ask about their number again.
When the child is free to answer your questions, complicate the task. Place several people in the house at once, let the child think about their number. The same manipulations can be done with subtraction.
Multiply and divide
If the question arises of how to learn how to quickly count, you can not ignore other mathematical actions. Multiplication and division are fairly complex digital manipulations for a child, unlike addition and subtraction. But game exercises will come to your aid again.
Take 2 boxes and a few items that can fit in them. Ask the child to fill one container and count how many figurines are in it. He must carry out the same manipulations with the second box. At first, use only two items in each container. Lead the child to the idea that two times two is four. Gradually increase the number of items.
If multiplication is easy to master, then division is a difficult task. The child will learn it at school. You can start dividing numbers only when you have studiedmultiplication table. Your main task is to instill in your child the ability to count in his mind, and he will improve his skills in the future on his own.
Conclusions
Thus, you can learn to count quickly, but this requires constant training. If we are talking about a small child, then work with him regularly, even if the lessons at school seem effective to you. If we are talking about a person with already formed abilities and character, then the only technique that can help him is the constant manipulation of numbers in his mind. Set yourself a clear goal, allocate time for training, in order to simplify your task in the future and reduce the time to think when solving tests.
